A 33-year-old flight attendant, considered one of simply two survivors of the Jeju Air aircraft crash in South Korea that killed 179 folks, is awake and speaking to medical workers, based on a hospital official.
The survivor, who was solely recognized by his surname Lee, instructed docs he had “already been rescued” when he regained consciousness following Sunday’s fiery crash on the Muan Worldwide Airport, Ju Woong, director of the Ewha Womans College Seoul Hospital, stated throughout a information convention on Monday.
Lee and one other flight attendant on Jeju Air Flight 7C2216, who was recognized by her surname Koo, had been the one ones aboard the plane to dwell by what authorities stated was South Korea’s deadliest aircraft crash in a long time and one of many worst in aviation historical past.
Firefighters and rescue personnel work close to the wreckage of a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 collection plane after the aircraft crashed and burst into flames at Muan Worldwide Airport in South Jeolla Province, Dec. 29, 2024.
Jung Yeon-je/AFP through Getty Photographs
The 25-year-old Koo is reportedly in steady situation at a special hospital than the one the place Lee is being handled. Koo suffered accidents to her ankle and head, medical workers on the hospital instructed the Yonhap Information Company. The medical workers treating her declined to reply additional questions on her situation.
Ju stated Lee is being handled within the intensive care unit for a number of fractures.
He stated Lee is “totally in a position to talk.”
“There is no indication but of reminiscence loss or such,” Ju stated.
The wreckage of the Jeju Air plane that went off the runway and crashed lies at Muan Worldwide Airport, in Muan, South Korea, Dec. 30, 2024.
Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters
The hospital director stated Lee is beneath particular care resulting from the opportunity of whole paralysis.
Ju stated he didn’t query Lee concerning the particulars of the crash, saying he did not imagine it might be useful with the affected person’s restoration.
Lee was initially taken to a hospital in Mokpo earlier than being transferred to the Ewha Womans College Seoul Hospital.
The crash unfolded simply earlier than 9 a.m. native time on Sunday on the Muan Worldwide Airport after the air visitors management tower gave the flight crew permission to land on a south-to-north runway, based on an official timeline by the Korean Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport.
Staff function on the website of an plane that crashed after it went off the runway at Muan Worldwide Airport, in Muan, South Korea, Dec. 30, 2024.
Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters
Three minutes later, the flight management tower issued a warning of a doable hen strike, the transport ministry stated. About two minutes after that warning, a pilot despatched a misery sign, saying, “Mayday, mayday, mayday, hen strike, hen strike, going round,” the ministry stated.
The aircraft ascended and made a 180-degree flip earlier than descending from the north facet, crash-landing and slamming right into a wall at 9:03 a.m., the ministry stated.
The plane, a Boeing 737-800, skidded alongside a runway, crashed right into a wall and burst into flames, officers stated. A complete of 181 folks had been onboard.
The flight had originated earlier than daybreak Sunday on the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand, based on Flightradar24, a flight tracker.
An official explanation for the crash is beneath investigation by South Korea’s Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board.
